Vetiver essential oil has a deep, smoky aroma with rich woody undertones. It has an almost earthy aroma, like damp soil. Vetiver is often referred to as the ‘oil of tranquillity’ due to its deep, calming effects.
Common Uses of Vetiver Essential Oil
Vetiver is commonly used in products designed to help you sleep, including pillow sprays and scented candles, and in night-time massage blends. It is also used as a fixative in perfumes and aftershaves, as well as being useful in adding a depth of aroma to massage blends and perfumes.
What is vetiver, and where does it come from?
Vetiver (sometimes called Kus-Kus grass) is a tall, perennial grass commonly found in tropical places with a good level of rainfall, including Brazil, Java, Southern India, Haiti, Indonesia and Malaysia. The grass itself is often used to thatch the roofs of houses or for mats etc.
Which part of the vetiver plant is used in making essential oil?
It is mainly the roots and rootlets or rhizomes of the plant that are used to make the essential oil.
How is vetiver essential oil made?
The roots and rootlets are washed, dried and chopped before being distilled into a thick deep amber coloured liquid, or the roots are soaked and boiled.
What are the benefits of vetiver essential oil?
Relieves stress and tension, calming
Vetiver is great for calming the nerves and restoring a sense of tranquillity.
Useful for relieving stress and tension, helping you to feel more grounded and helps bring you back into a state of balance if you’re feeling a little out of sorts.
It can help reduce panic attacks and anxiety, restoring emotional balance. It is also good for diffusing anger.
Relaxes, restores tired minds and overworked bodies
If you’re struggling to relax, vetiver may help as it can be relaxing and restorative for tired minds and overworked bodies.
Soothes sore muscles, eases rheumatism and arthritis
It has a soothing effect on muscles, easing muscle tension and helping with pains and stiffness.
Thought to be useful for easing arthritis and rheumatism.
Vetiver has a gently warming effect on muscles and is also thought to increase blood flow.
Good for libido, aphrodisiac
It can be useful for reproductive issues and can be used to ease sexual matters, it is also thought to be an aphrodisiac so can be helpful with problems of low libido. Especially useful when either partner is exhausted or feeling stressed, or when anxiety is causing issues in the bedroom.
Improves sleep
Vetiver is great for restoring good sleep patterns and encourages deep restful sleep, allowing you to wake feeling refreshed and ready to start the day.
Good for the skin, helps reduce scars and stretch marks
Vetiver is good for the skin and can help wounds heal, as it has astringent properties (helping to close open pores) so is good for oily and combination skin.
It can also help reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks and burns. It also has antiseptic properties, making it good for treating wounds, cuts and grazes. May be helpful for acne.
Ways to use Vetiver essential oil
In a massage blend
You can use it in massage, add 2-3 drops to 30 mils of carrier oil such as olive oil, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil etc and massage in.
In your bath
Add no more than 4-6 drops in total to 15 mls of oil and mix well, stir into your bath and soak for 20 minutes. Add a couple of handfuls of epsom salts to your bath and stir well.
Word of warning!
Please DO NOT just chuck a few drops of oil straight in your bath as it then tends to just sit on the surface of the water, always dilute it first with some carrier oil or a specially designed fragrance-free create your own style bath product.
In a diffuser
In a diffuser. Add 2 drops of vetiver essential oil and 2 drops of orange oil into your diffuser along with the required amount of water and diffuse intermittently throughout the day.
What does Vetiver blend well with?
Vetiver works brilliantly with
- sweet orange,
- lavender,
- frankincense,
- geranium,
- patchouli,
- rose,
- sandalwood,
- ylang ylang,
- clary sage,
- cedarwood,
- jasmine,
- ginger,
- lemon,
- bergamot
- grapefruit.
Contraindications / Safety Precautions
Vetiver is a very safe oil if used correctly. You may wish to avoid this during pregnancy. Vetiver must always be diluted if used on the skin.
Where to buy vetiver
https://uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/sjcooper/product/2155L/vetiver-organic-essential-oil-10ml-with-leaflet Please note I will get a small commission from any sales via this link.
Other posts you might like
Please check out my other articles on aromatherapy on pinterest https://uk.pinterest.com/sarahcooperreflexology/aromatherapy/
Here is an article you may like from my blog https://www.sarahcooper.co.uk/essential-oils-for-sleep/
About Vetiver Essential Oil
Botanical Name: Vetiveria Zizanioides
Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation,or boiling.
Note: Base
Plant Family: Gramineae
Aroma Notes: Smoky, Deep, Grounding, Earthy, Woody. Calming
Chemical Constituents
Veitver is made up of Benzoic (acid), Vetiverol (Alcohol), Furfurol (Aldehyde), Vetivone (Ketone), and Vetivene (Sesquiterpene)
I am a Reflexologist, Aromatherapist, Reiki Master Practitioner, Massage Therapist and Writer from Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire. I love writing about Health and Wellbeing, Mind Body Spirit and Reflexology. When I'm not at work, you can find me in the kitchen cooking up a storm!
If you'd like to book a treatment please go to https://www.sarahcooper.co.uk/book
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